Phonograph record playing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to phonograph record playing apparatus, supporting and positioning records in a manner which provides an unusually low profile for the equipment. The disclosure emphasizes the relationship between a shaped spindle and a record stabilizing assembly. The assembly includes a support disposed outwardly of the periphery of a turntable and an elongate record engaging member having an outer end mounted for linear and pivotal movement with respect to the support. The elongate member is disposed radially of a spindle for the turntable and is both pivotally movable and slideable in a vertical plane between a loading position, a plurality of operating positions and a rest position. When the elongate member is in the raised loading position, one or more records may be loaded on or removed from the spindle. When in the rest position, the elongate member deactivates the equipment.

Van Antwerp et al.

May 8, 1973 [54] PHONOGRAPH RECORD PLAYING APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Robert L. Van Antwerp, St. Joseph; Larry M. Hughes, Colonia, both of Mich.

[73] Assignee: The Magnavox Company, Fort Wayne, Ind.

[22] Filed: July 13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,337

[52] U.S. Cl. ..274/10 R [51] ..Gllb 17/04 [58] Field of Search 274/10 R, 10 S [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,340 4/1941 Downs ..274/10 S 3,142,489 7/1964 Granby....

2,801,109 7/1957 Vistain.....

2,476,715 7/1949 Falk ..2 74/l0 R Primary ExaminerHarry N. Haroian AttorneyPendleton, Neuman, Williams & Anderson [5 7] ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to phonograph record playing apparatus, supporting and positioning records in a manner which provides an unusually low profile for the equipment. The disclosure emphasizes the relationship between a shaped spindle and a record stabilizing assembly. The assembly includes a support disposed outwardly of the periphery of a turntable and an elongate record engaging member having an outer end mounted for linear and pivotal movement with respect to the support. The elongate member is disposed radially of a spindle for the turntable and is both pivotally movable and slideable in a vertical plane between a loading position, a plurality of operating positions and a rest position. When the elongate member is in the raised loading position, one or more records may be loaded on or removed from the spindle. When in the rest position, the elongate member deactivates the equipment.

23 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED HAY 8 ms SHEU 3 OF 3 PI-IONOGRAPII RECORD PLAYING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various systems have heretofore been produced for supporting and feeding a plurality of records sequentially onto a turntable including various record stabilizing assemblies. However, because of certain design characteristics, they have been beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) they are of complex and costly construction; (b) they are awkward to manipulate when records are being loaded on or removed from the turntable spindle; (c) they are of fragile construction and highly susceptible to becoming out of adjustment; (d) they require a substantial amount of space in which to operate; and (e) they are ineffective in stabilizing a stack of records placed on the upper end of the spindle prior to being moved into playing position on the turntable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a record feeding and playing apparatus including a stabilizing assembly which eliminates or minimizes the aforenoted shortcomings associated with the prior art.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a record feeding and playing apparatus which utilizes a central spindle for supporting and feeding the records with a support arm opposite the tone arm to maintain the unplayed records at a slight angle, whereby clearance is provided for the tone arm with a minimum over-all height.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a record feeding and playing apparatus including a record stabilizing assembly which is capable of operating effectively in a vertical plane between loading, playing and rest positions with records of varying diameters and with records arranged in stacks of varying height.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a record stabilizing assembly mounted for pivotal and linear movement in a vertical plane which will gently yet positively engage the surface of a record without marring same and will cooperate with a record supporting spindle having a record supporting shelf and an actuating mechanism to sequentially feed records onto a rotating turntable.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a record stabilizing assembly whereby conventional 12- inch records can be placed, one at a time or as a group, on the upper end of the spindle and the record or records will be maintained in a balanced condition without requiring manual support and, thus, materially facilitate the loading and/or unloading operations.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a record stabilizing assembly wherein lifting of the elongate member before removing the recordsfrom the turntable is not required; and in place thereof, the records upon being lifted up from the spindle will automatically lift the elongate member to an upwardly tilted and stabilized position where the records may be readily removed from the upper end of the spindle.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a record feeding and playing apparatus is provided for use in a phonograph record player having a turntajustably connected to the support. The elongate member is adapted to be removed to a raised loading position and releasably held in such position whereby records may be loaded onto or removed from the spindle. Once a stack of records has been positioned on the upper end of the spindle, the elongate member is released from its loading position and moved to an operating position where it engages the uppermost record of the stack. The elongate member, while in the operating position, assumes a predetermined tilt and imparts to the stack of records a corresponding tilt. The elongate member, while disposed in said tilted operating position, is movable in linear translation while maintaining a constant operating angle. The movement of the elongate member in the operating position is dependent upon the movement of the lowermost record of the stack from the upper end of the spindle onto the turntable and the consequent lowering of the stack. Subsequent to the movement of the last record of the stack onto the turntable, the elongate member moves to the rest position which is parallel to, and spaced above the last record on the turntable, and movement to this position deactivates the entire apparatus.

DESCRIPTION For a more complete undertanding of the invention, reference should be made to the drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective top view of a phonograph record player embodying one form of the invention and showing the elongate member in the rest position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but taken along line 3-3 of FIG. I and showing a stack of records positioned on the spindle shelf with the elongate member engaging the uppermost record of the stack whereby both the record stack and the elongate member assume a predetermined tilt.

FIG. 41 is a top plan view of the player shown in FIG. 3 And with the stack of records indicated by a broken line.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing the elongate member in its rest position.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but shows the elongate member in its loading position and a stack of records positioned on the shelf of the spindle.

FIG. 7 is siMilar to FIG. 6, but shows the elongate member released from its loading position and engaging the uppermost record of the stack whereby both the elongate member and the stack of records assume a predetermined tilt.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but shows the elongate member shifted downwardly from the position shown in FIG. '1 and resting upon the last record of the stack.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the upper end portion of the spindle.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4, a phonograph record player 10 is shown which comprises a base 11 and a turntable 12 mounted thereon for rotation about a generally vertically dispOsed spindle 13. Disposed to one side of the turntable l2 and mounted for universal movement about an upright postlike element 14 is a conventional pick-up arm 15 having a needle or stylus 15a mounted on the underside of the free end of the arm 15.

Also mounted on base 11 and spaced forwardly of the pick-up arm 15 is a three position function selector 16. The selector includes a manually operable control 16a which is adapted to assume off," on," and reject positions. The control 16a is adapted to be manually moved momentarily from an on" position to a reject position during a normal playing cycle, whereupon the pick-up arm 15 will automatically pivotally lift the tone arm 15 and needle 15a from the playing surface of a record disposed on the turntable, and then the whole arm will swing outwardly about the post 14 from beneath the stack S of records carried on the shelf of the spindle 13. When the arm 15 has cleared the recOrd stack, the bottom record of the stack S will be automatically dropped from the spindle shelf onto the turntable or onto the previously played record or records disposed on the turntable. When the stack of records positioned on the shelf of the spindle has been exhausted, the pick-up arm 15 will automatically swing downwardly to a rest position shown in FIG. 2, whereupon the drive motor for the turntable is deenergized and the selector control 160 moves automatically to its of position. The described operation of the pick-up arm 15 when the control 16a is moved to reject position is conventional and well understood in the record changer art.

Mounted on the base 11, and approximately diagonally opposite control 1611, is the record stabilizing assembly 17. The assembly, as illustrated, comprises an upstanding support 18 having a bifurcated upper end forming a pair of spaced, substantially parallel side walls 20a and 20b. The support 13 may be made as an integral part of the base 11 or it may be a separate piece which is secured to the base 11 by any suitable means. The edges of the side walls 20a and 20b facing the spindle 13 are interconnected by a suitable stop or bridge 21, see FIG. 5, the function of which will be described more fully hereinafter. Also interconnecting the side walls 20a and 20b are a pair of transversely extending members 22a and 23a supporting rollers 22 and 23. Roller 23 is elevated and radially outward relative to roller 22.

In addition to the support 18, the assembly 17 includes an elongate record-engaging member 24 cantilevered over the center of turntable 12. The supported end of the member 24 is provided with a depending leg portion 25 which may consist of a pair of parallel sectlons 25a and b of like configuration. The leg sections are positioned between the side walls 200 and b of the support 18, see FIG. 9. As seen in FIGS. 5-8, each leg section 25a and b is provided with an elongate slot 26 through which the roller 23 extends. The longitudinal axis of the slot 26 is angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of an arm portion 24a, which projects inwardly from the support towards the axis of the spindle 13.

The lower end 250 of each leg section 25a and b has a similar concave configuration which conforms substantially to the roller 22. The end 250 of each leg section is adapted to rest upon and be releasably supported by roller 22 only when member 24 is in the loading position A, see FIG. 6. Once the member 24 has assumed position A, it will remain in that position until it is manually released. To release member 24 from position A, it is pulled downward at the end near center spindle 13 until surface 25c leaves engagement with roller 22, whereupon the leg sections are shifted outwardly of roller 22, see FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, and the underside of the arm portion 24a gently brought into engagement With the uppermost record of the stack S. When this engagement occurs, both the arm portion 24a and the stack of records assume a corresponding predetermined tilt of approximately 6 with respect to the plane of the turntable.

The arm 24 is biased by a coil spring 27 in a downward direction towards the plane of the base 11. One end of the spring is connected at 28 to the dependinG leg portion 25, and the opposite end is secured at 30 to the base 11. The spring bias effects positive engagement between the underside of arm portion 24a and the uppermost record, thereby maintaining the stack of records in a stable, yet tilted position even while the lowermost record of the stack is being automatically fed onto the turntable 12 in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

Once the last record of the stack has been dropped, the elongate member will make a final downward movement which, in the illustrated embodiment, consists of the arm portion 24a pivoting in an arc of approximately 6 clockwise about roller 23 as an axis whereupon the arm portion 24a will engage stop 21 and remain in a spaced substantially parallel position 8 with respect to the plane of the turntable and above the last record, see FIG. 5.

In addition to, or in place of, the pivotal movement, the final movement of the member 24 may be vertical translation. When the arm portion 24a mOves from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position B shown in FIG. 5, the pivotal movement of the arm portion 24a is transmitted to linkage 29 through depending leg 25 causing the latter to move a predetermined amount in a linear direction indicated by arrow L, see FIG. 5. The movement of linkage 29 changes the operating mechanism, not shown, so that upon the next cycling of the changer mechanism, the pick-up arm 14 will move to a position as shown in FIG. 1 after it has completed playing of the last record of the stack and the motor will stop. The mechanical details for accomplishing this sequence of operation of the pick-up arm 15 and on-off switch are well-known in the record changing art.

The free end of arm 24 terminates adjacent the axis of spindle 13 and has formed thereon an enlarged ringlike member 31, see FIG. 1. When the arm 24 is in its down position B, the ringlike member 31 will encompass the upper end of the spindle 13. The longitudinal axis of arm 24 is disposed substantially radially of the spindle 13.

The upper end 13a of the spindle 13, see FIG. 10, is provided with a notch 13b which faces the support 18 and defines a record supporting shelf 130. The notch 13b extends into the spindle a substantial distance whereby ledge surface 13c is of sufficient size to support a stack of records. The ledge or shelf ll3c is disposed at an angle of approximately 6to the horizontal to match the angle at which arm 24 supports the record stack S.

Protruding outwardly from the opposite side of the upper end 13a of the spindle is an adjustable sliding dog or lug 32 which is adapted to retract within a suitable groove 33, see FIG. 4, formed in the upper end of the spindle. The dog 32 is of conventional construction and, when moved to a retracted position, is guided by a pair of transversely extending pins 34 extending transversely through the groove 33 in the upper end of the spindle 13. The pins 34 extend through a suitable arcuate groove, not shown, formed in the concealed portion of the dog permitting the dog to slide upwardly and into the spindle. The dog assumes a fully retracted position only when one or more records are being raised from the turntable and removed from the spindle. The dog 32 cooperates with the spindle notch 13!; and shelf 13c to cause the stack to remain in a right-hand position in FIG. 10 while the bottom record of the stack is free to shift off the shelf surface 130 through a slot of about one record thickness defined between shelf 13c and the lower surface 32a of dog 32. A trigger arm 35 engages the wall of the hole of the bottom record when the bottom record is to be dropped into place on the turntable for playing. The trigger 35 is pivotally mounted in the lower portion of spindle l3 and is also well-known in the industry. The upper end of the trigger arm 35 normally assumes an extended position, as shown in FIG. 10, preventing the bottom record of the stack from accidentally dropping onto the turntable during loading or until the pick-up arm 14 has been swung outwardly out of position. A linkage arrangement, not shown, between the lower end of the trigger arm 35 and the pick-up arm l5 assures that the trigger arm 35 is retracted into the spindle interior only when the pick-up arm 15 is clear of the stack. Retraction of the arm 35 into spindle 13 causes the upper left-hand corner thereof to engage the wall of the hole in the bot tom record and move it to the left in FIG. 10. The lowermost record of the stack is shifted thereby off the ledge surface 13c whereupon the center hole of the lowermost record is aligned with the portion of the spindle disposed beneath the ledge surface. This enables the record to drop by gravity onto the turntable. The operation of the trigger arm 35, as well as that of the dog 32, are well-known in the record changer art and, thus, further detailed discussion thereof is not deemed necessary for purposes of describing the invention. None of these are essential.

In operating the record stabilizing assembly, the elongated arm 24 is manually raised in the first instance to position A, see FIG. 6 wherein the lower ends 25c of the depending leg sections 25a and b engage and are supported by roller 22. When arm 24 is in this loading position, it will be noted that roller 23 is disposed in the lower portion of slot 26 but is still spaced from the lower terminus of the slot. The spacing between the protuberance 23 and the lower terminus of the slot per mits the depending leg sections to be disengaged from roller 22, when desired. When arm 24 is in position A, the longitudinal axis of the arm tilts upwardly from the support 18 at an angle of approximately 25. When in this position, the inner end of the arm 24 is raised above the end 1311 of the spindle 13a sufficiently to permit a plurality (e.g., six in the preferred design) of records to be loaded onto the spindle 13, either one at a time or as a stack. The lowermost record of the stack is disposed lPn the shelf ll3c permitting the lowermost record as well as the remaining records of the stack to assume a downward tilt of approximately 6 under the guidance of arm 24. The peripheral edge of each record is disposed adjacent to the support 18 and can rest against the lower edge of arm 24 to facilitate loadmg.

Once the desired number of records have been placed on the upper end of the spindle, the arm 24 is manually released from position A, see dotted lines in H6. 3, and lowered to a position C wherein the arm 24 rests gently upon the uppermost record of the stack. The pivotal action of arm 24 provided by the relationship between slot 26 and the roller 23 is seen by comparing FIGS. 6 and '7. in going to the initial operating position shown in FIG. 7, the arm is effectively pivoted about roller 23 and then slides downwardly with the arm 25 guided between rollers 22 and 23 which act as bearings providing linear motion. The arm 24 thereby assumes the same tilted position irrespective of the number of records in the stack.

Once the arm 24 has assumed its tilted position C, it will remain at the same tilt so long as at least one record is disposed on the spindle shelf 130. As each record from the stack is automatically fed from the spindle shelf into playing position on the turntable, the height of the stack of records on the upper end of the spindle will diminish a corresponding amount, whereupon the arm 24 will move down generally vertically while still maintaining the tilt of approximately 6. The generallY vertical movement of the tilted arm 24 is insured by the elongate configuration of the slot 26 and corresponding relationship of guide surface 250.

it will be noted in FIGS. 7 and 3 that the longitudinal axis of the slot 26 is substantially vertically disposed or at a right angle with respect to the plane of the turntable, while at the same time, the longitudinal axis of arm 24 remains at a tilt of 6 to the horizontal. Thus, the axis of slot 26 is preferably at about 84 with respect to arm 24.

Once the last record of the stack has been moved off the spindle ledge 13c so that it is free to move by gravity into playing position, arm 24 is free to pivot in a clockwise direction about roller 23 as an axis through an arc of approximately 6 until it assumes a horizontal position B; that is to say, it is in spaced parallel relation with respect to the plane of the turntable 12. As previously mentioned, upon arm 24 pivoting the 6 in a clockwise direction, the linkage 29 is shifted to the left in a horizontal direction causing a change to occur in the mechanical functioning of the cycling mechanism whereby the pick-up arm 114 will automatically move to a shut-off position once it has completed playing the last record of the stack S and the motor will stop.

In some embodiments it might be desirable for the stack of records to assume a substantially parallel position with respect to the surface of the turntable, in which case the stabilizing arm 24 when engaging the to? record of the stack also assumes the same parallel position. In such an arrangement, the arm 24 will remain in such a parallel position while moving downwardly as the height of the stack diminishes. When the last record of the stack has moved into playing position, the final downward movement of the arm will actuate movement of the linkage 29.

It will be noted that the movement of the arm 24, be it a sliding or pivoting movement, or a combination of both, occurs in a given vertical plane or a lane normal to the plane of the turntable l2 and including spindle 13. Furthermore, the lower edge of the stack can be very close to the turntable, and the 6 tilt will provide clearance for the tone arm (or pick-up arm) with a minimum over-all height.

Thus, it will be seen that a record supporting and feeding apparatus has been provided which is of simple yet sturdy construction, permits easy loading or unloading of the records, and provides effective stability for a plurality of records arranged in stacked relation on the upper end of the spindle.

Furthermore, the improved record stabilizing assembly may be utilized in a phonograph record player wherein a low profile for the player is desired.

We claim:

1. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a turntable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper support means adapted to accommodate the stack of records, means on said spindle for feeding the lowermost record of the stack onto the turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including an upright stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support and projecting therefrom into overlying relationship with said turntable and adapted to engage said records, said elongate member, when engaging said records assuming a predetermined tilt with respect to said turntable and supporting said records at said tilt, and bearing and guiding means interconnecting said support and said elongate member in a relatively movable relationship, said bearing and guiding means providing substantially linear movement of said elongate member relative to said support in a direction generally normal to the plane of said turntable, said bearing and guiding means also maintaining said elongate member at said predetermined tilt as it moves as a unit relative to said support transversely to the plane of said turntable, the movement of said tilted elongate member as a unit being dependent upon the feeding of the lowermost record of the stack whereby the angle of tilt of said stack and said elongate member is substantially unchanged during record feeding prior to the feeding of the uppermost record.

2. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein mounting means is provided for said elongate member, whereby upon the last record being fed from said support means onto the turntable, a final movement of said elongate member is provided relative to said support to a rest position where the longitudinal axis of said elongate member is disposed at an elevated position with respect to the exposed surface of the last record.

3. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 2 including a pivotally mounted pick-up unit movable between an operative position in playing contact with a record on the turntable and an inoperative position wherein said unit is disposed outwardly of the periphery of said record, and means responsive to the final movement of said elongate member which follows the feeding of the last record of said stack, said means being operatively connected to said pick-up unit whereby the latter will remain in said inoperative position subsequent to having been in operative position with respect to said last record.

4. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mounting means includes means providing a substantially pivotal final movement of said elongate member in a direction towards the plane of said turntable.

5. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal axis of said elongate member, when in said rest position, is in spaced substantially parallel relation with respect to the plane of said tumtable.

7. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 including mounting means whereby said elongate member is adapted to assume a loading position wherein the longitudinal axis of said member is disposed at a second predetermined tilt, the angularity of said second tilt with respect to the plane of said turntable being greater than said first mentioned predetermined tilt whereby the elongate member is spaced from the upper end of said spindle thereby permitting records to be loaded onto or removed from said spindle upper end.

8. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said support is provided with means releasably engaged by said elongate member for retaining the latter in said loading position.

9. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the end of said elongate member mounted on said support includes an angularly disposed leg and said support means includes bearing means in releasable supporting contact with said leg only when said elongate member is in said loading position.

10. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the angularly disposed leg of said elongate member is provided with a slot which accommodates a second bearing means in said support, the longitudinal axis of said slot being disposed substantially normal to the plane of said turntable when said elongate member is in overlying engaging relation with the records; said leg, during operation of said player, being movable relative to said second bearing means in a directionlengthwise of said slot and generally normal to said turntable.

ill. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second bearing means of said support is above and radially outwardly relative to said first mentioned bearing means.

12. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said elongate member assumes a third position spaced from and substantially parallel to said turntable subsequent to the last record being fed from said spindle shelf onto said turntable.

313. The phonograph paying apparatus of claim 1 including resilient means operatively connected to said elongate member for biasing the latter into engagement with the uppermost record of the stack of records supported on said shelf.

the angularity of said shelf being substantially the same as the predetermined tilt of the elongate member.

16. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim wherein the means for feeding the record onto the turntable comprises a movable trigger element carried by said spindle, said element, when in one position, cooperating with said shelf to support the record on the shelf, and, when moved to a second position, effecting movement of the record off of said shelf whereupon the record is free to move onto said turntable.

17. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongate member, when engaging said records, assumes an angle of approximately 6 to the record-engaging surface of said turntable.

18. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongate member, when in record engaging position, extends from said support to a position beyond said spindle and stabilizes the records supported on the shelf.

19. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vertical distance between the plane of the turntable and the lowest portions of said shelf-supported records is substantially less than the clearance required for said pickup unit.

20. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a turntable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper off-set portion defining a shelf adapted to accommodate the stack of records above said turntable, means for feeding the lowermost record of the shelf-supported stack onto the turntable, a pick-up unit having a pivot portion mounted adjacent said turntable and a free pick-up portion pivotal in a plane generally parallel to said turntable for movement into playing contact with the exposed surface of the record fed onto the turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including an upright stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support and projecting therefrom into overlying relationship with said turntable and adapted to engage said records when disposed on said shelf, guide means for said elongate member whereby said elongate member, when engaging said records, assumes a predetermined tilt with respect to said turntable and imparts said predetermined tilt to said self-supported records, said predetermined tilt being oriented relative to said pick-up unit whereby the initial playing contact between said pickup unit and the exposed surface of a record fed onto the turntable occurs beneath a peripheral segment of the tilted shelf-supported record which is elevated to the greatest extent from said turntable, an opposite peripheral segment of said tilted shelf-supported record lying in said plane of pick-up movement above said turntable.

21. The phonograph playing aPparatus of claim 20 wherein said predetermined tilt is in the order of 6.

22. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a substantially horizontally disposed tumtable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper off-set portion defining a shelf adapted to accommodate the stack of records above said turntable, a movable trigger element carried by said spindle and adapted to normally assume one position of adjustment for cooperating with said shelf to support the records thereon, and when moved to a second position of adjustment, effecting movement of the lowermost record of the stack off of said shelf and onto said turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including a stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, and an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support for pivotal movement about said one end in a substantially vertical plane, said elongate member disposed in overlying relationship with said turntable and being adapted to assume a first position of pivotal adjustment wherein a portion of the elongate member is spaced above the upper end of said spindle to permit loading a record onto said spindle, means to releasably maintain said elongate member in said first position, a second position of pivotal adjustment for engaging the exposed surface of the uppermost record of the stack and imparting to said stack a predetermined tilt with respect to said turntable, guide means to maintain said elongate member in said second position, and a third position of pivotal adjustment wherein said elongate member is in spaced, substantially parallel relation with respect to said turntable, said elongate member automatically moving from said second to said third positions upon the last record of the stack being moved off the shelf onto said turntable by said trigger element.

23. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 22 wherein said elongate member, when in said first position of pivotal adjustment, being disposed at a greater angle with respect to said turntable than when in said second position of pivotal adjustment; said elongate member, when in said first position, being adapted to be engaged by the periphery of the record previously loaded onto the spindle thereby stabilizing the previously loaded records on the spindle shelf while additional records are being loaded onto the spindle to form a stack. 

1. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a turntable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper support means adapted to accommodate the stack of records, means on said spindle for feeding the lowermost record of the stack onto the turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including an upright stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support and projecting therefrom into overlying relationship with said turntable and adapted to engage said records, said elongate member, when engaging said records assuming a pRedetermined tilt with respect to said turntable and supporting said records at said tilt, and bearing and guiding means interconnecting said support and said elongate member in a relatively movable relationship, said bearing and guiding means providing substantially linear movement of said elongate member relative to said support in a direction generally normal to the plane of said turntable, said bearing and guiding means also maintaining said elongate member at said predetermined tilt as it moves as a unit relative to said support transversely to the plane of said turntable, the movement of said tilted elongate member as a unit being dependent upon the feeding of the lowermost record of the stack whereby the angle of tilt of said stack and said elongate member is substantially unchanged during record feeding prior to the feeding of the uppermost record.
 2. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein mounting means is provided for said elongate member, whereby upon the last record being fed from said support means onto the turntable, a final movement of said elongate member is provided relative to said support to a rest position where the longitudinal axis of said elongate member is disposed at an elevated position with respect to the exposed surface of the last record.
 3. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 2 including a pivotally mounted pick-up unit movable between an operative position in playing contact with a record on the turntable and an inoperative position wherein said unit is disposed outwardly of the periphery of said record, and means responsive to the final movement of said elongate member which follows the feeding of the last record of said stack, said means being operatively connected to said pick-up unit whereby the latter will remain in said inoperative position subsequent to having been in operative position with respect to said last record.
 4. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said mounting means includes means providing a substantially pivotal final movement of said elongate member in a direction towards the plane of said turntable.
 5. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal axis of said elongate member, when in said rest position, is in spaced substantially parallel relation with respect to the plane of said turntable.
 7. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 including mounting means whereby said elongate member is adapted to assume a loading position wherein the longitudinal axis of said member is disposed at a second predetermined tilt, the angularity of said second tilt with respect to the plane of said turntable being greater than said first mentioned predetermined tilt whereby the elongate member is spaced from the upper end of said spindle thereby permitting records to be loaded onto or removed from said spindle upper end.
 8. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said support is provided with means releasably engaged by said elongate member for retaining the latter in said loading position.
 9. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the end of said elongate member mounted on said support includes an angularly disposed leg and said support means includes bearing means in releasable supporting contact with said leg only when said elongate member is in said loading position.
 10. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the angularly disposed leg of said elongate member is provided with a slot which accommodates a second bearing means in said support, the longitudinal axis of said slot being disposed substantially normal to the plane of said turntable when said elongate member is in overlying engaging relation with the records; said leg, during operation of said player, being movable relative to said second bearing means in a direction lengthwise of said slot and generally normal to said turntable.
 11. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second bearing means of said support is above and radialLy outwardly relative to said first mentioned bearing means.
 12. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said elongate member assumes a third position spaced from and substantially parallel to said turntable subsequent to the last record being fed from said spindle shelf onto said turntable.
 13. The phonograph paying apparatus of claim 1 including resilient means operatively connected to said elongate member for biasing the latter into engagement with the uppermost record of the stack of records supported on said shelf.
 14. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongate member has a free end disposed inwardly of said support and adjacent the turning axis of said turntable.
 15. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the upper end of said spindle is provided with a notch forming an angularly disposed shelf for a record thereon prior to the latter being fed onto the turntable, the angularity of said shelf being substantially the same as the predetermined tilt of the elongate member.
 16. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means for feeding the record onto the turntable comprises a movable trigger element carried by said spindle, said element, when in one position, cooperating with said shelf to support the record on the shelf, and, when moved to a second position, effecting movement of the record off of said shelf whereupon the record is free to move onto said turntable.
 17. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongate member, when engaging said records, assumes an angle of approximately 6* to the record-engaging surface of said turntable.
 18. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongate member, when in record engaging position, extends from said support to a position beyond said spindle and stabilizes the records supported on the shelf.
 19. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vertical distance between the plane of the turntable and the lowest portions of said shelf-supported records is substantially less than the clearance required for said pickup unit.
 20. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a turntable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper off-set portion defining a shelf adapted to accommodate the stack of records above said turntable, means for feeding the lowermost record of the shelf-supported stack onto the turntable, a pick-up unit having a pivot portion mounted adjacent said turntable and a free pick-up portion pivotal in a plane generally parallel to said turntable for movement into playing contact with the exposed surface of the record fed onto the turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including an upright stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support and projecting therefrom into overlying relationship with said turntable and adapted to engage said records when disposed on said shelf, guide means for said elongate member whereby said elongate member, when engaging said records, assumes a predetermined tilt with respect to said turntable and imparts said predetermined tilt to said self-supported records, said predetermined tilt being oriented relative to said pick-up unit whereby the initial playing contact between said pick-up unit and the exposed surface of a record fed onto the turntable occurs beneath a peripheral segment of the tilted shelf-supported record which is elevated to the greatest extent from said turntable, an opposite peripheral segment of said tilted shelf-supported record lying in said plane of pick-up movement above said turntable.
 21. The phonograph playing aPparatus of claim 20 wherein said predetermined tilt is in the order of 6*.
 22. Phonograph playing apparatus to accommodate a plurality of phonograph records arranged in a stack, comprising a sUbstantially horizontally disposed turntable, an upright spindle coaxial with said turntable, said spindle having an upper off-set portion defining a shelf adapted to accommodate the stack of records above said turntable, a movable trigger element carried by said spindle and adapted to normally assume one position of adjustment for cooperating with said shelf to support the records thereon, and when moved to a second position of adjustment, effecting movement of the lowermost record of the stack off of said shelf and onto said turntable, and a record stabilizing assembly; said assembly including a stationary support disposed outwardly of the periphery of said turntable, and an elongate member connected adjacent one end to said support for pivotal movement about said one end in a substantially vertical plane, said elongate member disposed in overlying relationship with said turntable and being adapted to assume a first position of pivotal adjustment wherein a portion of the elongate member is spaced above the upper end of said spindle to permit loading a record onto said spindle, means to releasably maintain said elongate member in said first position, a second position of pivotal adjustment for engaging the exposed surface of the uppermost record of the stack and imparting to said stack a predetermined tilt with respect to said turntable, guide means to maintain said elongate member in said second position, and a third position of pivotal adjustment wherein said elongate member is in spaced, substantially parallel relation with respect to said turntable, said elongate member automatically moving from said second to said third positions upon the last record of the stack being moved off the shelf onto said turntable by said trigger element.
 23. The phonograph playing apparatus of claim 22 wherein said elongate member, when in said first position of pivotal adjustment, being disposed at a greater angle with respect to said turntable than when in said second position of pivotal adjustment; said elongate member, when in said first position, being adapted to be engaged by the periphery of the record previously loaded onto the spindle thereby stabilizing the previously loaded records on the spindle shelf while additional records are being loaded onto the spindle to form a stack. 